Kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis)

Also known as visceral leishmaniasis, kala azar is the most serious form of leishmaniasis and endemic in 76 countries, with hundreds of millions at risk of infection.

The parasite is spread to humans by bites from infected sandflies. It attacks the immune system and is almost always fatal if not treated.

An intravenous treatment is effective but challenging to provide in small, local clinics. The alternative is a series of toxic, highly painful injections.

In 2019, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) treated 1,970 people for kala azar.